Thailand is best known as a holiday destination for the hustle and bustle of Bangkok with its crowded streets and twenty four hour party atmosphere. If you want to escape the noise of the city and immerse yourself in the ocean, you need only travel around seventy kilometers to the coast. There you find sandy beaches and the chance to go scuba diving in Pattaya where there are many diving centers offering daily dives and packages.
You need not be extremely fit to take up this sport, but any reputable dive center should ask you to complete a medical questionnaire. If you suffer from a bad heart or lungs or have trouble with your ears you may not be allowed to dive for your own safety. Ladies should not dive during pregnancy as there is a chance it may harm the unborn child.
The majority of people have no problem passing the medical and can go with an instructor for a "try dive" or "intro". You should choose a center with a good reputation which has professional instructors. There is very little danger associated with diving as long as safety standards set down by professional bodies are adhered to.
In Pattaya you will find most centers are affiliated with PADI, the Professional Association of Diving Instructors. PADI certificates are recognized around the world and if you choose to take a course during your stay you can become a qualified Open Water Diver. This is the next step after a DSD or introductory dive. The OW course lasts for around four days so you need to make sure you have allocated enough vacation time for this.
Part of the course will be visiting the coral reefs and other pretty dive sites nearby. The "Far Islands" and the Samaesan Corals are accessible via a short boat journey and are very popular with guests. Under the water you should be able to see between five to fifteen meters around you depending on the conditions. Strong currents effect some areas so pay attention to your guide and be sure to follow any instructions to the letter.
As well as coral reefs there are 3 shipwrecks which are worth a visit. The HTMS Khram has a lot of flora and fauna even though it sunk quite recently. The wreck of the freighter Petchburi Bremen and the Hardeep, which was a cargo ship, are also very popular. The Hardeep can by dived internally from stem to stern as it sank intact.
There are plenty of fish to see including barracuda as well as the bright coral. Experienced divers who have visited the Red Sea may find some sites do not meet expectation as the waters are not as clear as to be found in Hurghada or Sharm. First timers however will find the underwater world a real adventure.
Scuba diving in Pattaya makes an excellent break from the constant party that is Thailand. The peace and calm under the water soothes away any stress as you float along. There is plenty to see and you will have great stories to tell the folks back home.
You need not be extremely fit to take up this sport, but any reputable dive center should ask you to complete a medical questionnaire. If you suffer from a bad heart or lungs or have trouble with your ears you may not be allowed to dive for your own safety. Ladies should not dive during pregnancy as there is a chance it may harm the unborn child.
The majority of people have no problem passing the medical and can go with an instructor for a "try dive" or "intro". You should choose a center with a good reputation which has professional instructors. There is very little danger associated with diving as long as safety standards set down by professional bodies are adhered to.
In Pattaya you will find most centers are affiliated with PADI, the Professional Association of Diving Instructors. PADI certificates are recognized around the world and if you choose to take a course during your stay you can become a qualified Open Water Diver. This is the next step after a DSD or introductory dive. The OW course lasts for around four days so you need to make sure you have allocated enough vacation time for this.
Part of the course will be visiting the coral reefs and other pretty dive sites nearby. The "Far Islands" and the Samaesan Corals are accessible via a short boat journey and are very popular with guests. Under the water you should be able to see between five to fifteen meters around you depending on the conditions. Strong currents effect some areas so pay attention to your guide and be sure to follow any instructions to the letter.
As well as coral reefs there are 3 shipwrecks which are worth a visit. The HTMS Khram has a lot of flora and fauna even though it sunk quite recently. The wreck of the freighter Petchburi Bremen and the Hardeep, which was a cargo ship, are also very popular. The Hardeep can by dived internally from stem to stern as it sank intact.
There are plenty of fish to see including barracuda as well as the bright coral. Experienced divers who have visited the Red Sea may find some sites do not meet expectation as the waters are not as clear as to be found in Hurghada or Sharm. First timers however will find the underwater world a real adventure.
Scuba diving in Pattaya makes an excellent break from the constant party that is Thailand. The peace and calm under the water soothes away any stress as you float along. There is plenty to see and you will have great stories to tell the folks back home.
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